


Cat's Eye View

by Destiny_in_the_Universe



Series: Let Me Hold You (and brighten your days) [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Cats, Angry Cat, Cat Tony Stark, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fish, Kitten Peter Parker, Peter is only mentioned, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Scars, Starvation, Tony Angst, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has Nightmares, Tony Stark Has Trust Issues, references to dog fights, skittish behavior, stray cats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2020-03-06 13:39:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18852187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destiny_in_the_Universe/pseuds/Destiny_in_the_Universe
Summary: Tony is the resident New York stray and has an issue with people, but his interactions with the Parker family will change that





	Cat's Eye View

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Buckets_Of_Stars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buckets_Of_Stars/gifts).



> So, this first part is a prologue of sorts... it hints at Tony's past, but there's no real blood or anything. He is very... interesting... in this part, but this was a pleasure to read
> 
> I hope my friend enjoys this! And that the rest of you like it too! 
> 
> Until next time, lovelies~

The streets were normally empty at this time of day, though no one had any clue that it was the preferred time of one scraggly stray feline that seemed to think he owned the streets. He was a mangy sort of thing, crooked ears with tufts of what looked like dirty brown-gray fur and eyes that were a striking brown eyes. His tail wasn’t even completely covered in fur, which caused other cats and even humans to avoid him. 

 

He went by the name of Tony. 

 

Tony stalked down the sidewalk, giving an angry hiss at a passing child who had attempted to lean down and pull on his tail. He staggered slightly, his stomach growling since he hadn’t eaten properly in a few days. 

 

His claws dig into the ground, making a noise that seems to be mainly out of spite, though he was in pain from how little he’d eaten recently. Tony snarled, his tail lashing furiously from side to side, ears flattened as he sniffed the air. 

 

There’s nothing, not a scent of even a scrapping. 

 

He can feel his own stomach making uncomfortable sounds that kept lurching. 

 

He forced himself to move, avoiding the odd stares he receives from the other cats. Tony bit back a snarl, the stray giving another hiss as he tried to find somewhere new to stay. He suddenly hissed loudly at a passing dog before bolting off. 

 

He prowled around, beginning to reach a set of apartments, his nose twitching slightly. A fresh scent of various foods humans ate hit his nose, his tongue briefly moving onto his lips. 

 

Tony gave an odd noise of discontent, the straggling cat pausing briefly. His ears perked, fur swaying with the cool breeze that moved around him. 

 

The feline prowled forward, beginning to reach an apartment with his tail tip twitching from side to side behind him. He silently moved and finally stopped, giving a curious mew. Tony’s ears began to move again, head cocked slightly to one side as he heard two humans- one she, one tom- speaking. 

 

Why was he so interested in them?

 

He felt his ears lift, suddenly noticing a small figure move across the window rapidly. 

 

Tony froze, the tom not knowing what to think when he saw the small kitten move past. His curiosity got the better off him, and he stepped forward, one paw in front of the other. Tail swaying back and forth, he got closer and closer, but jumped at the sound of a door opening. 

 

With an angry sort of hiss, he ran, hiding in the alleyway. His fur was bristling out of fear, not fully trusting humans after what they had done to him in the place with no light. 

 

Tony didn’t move, until he was certain the human had left. He sighed softly and decided to curl up on top of a thrown out fabric- a blanket-, his tail wrapped around his snout and close to his legs. 

 

He slept in a horrible fit, his paws moving about as he dreamt of what had happened. 

 

He recalled the sound of yelling, hands prodding at his blood-covered fur. The noises of that menacing beast of a dog barking, the blinding darkness that coated his vision. 

 

Tony awoke with a frantic jolt, panting heavily. His ears laid against his skull, the cat’s entire back arched, claws sinking into the fabric of which he’d slept. He didn’t like remembering, but he was still very skittish and terrified of humans. 

 

He didn’t like being touched, especially around the neck area and his back. He’d swipe at the hands of human kits trying to grab at his tail. Tony sometimes didn’t even like the company of other cats at times, tired of the endless questions about what had happened, getting annoyed easily and ultimately being a rather sour-grump of a feline. 

 

The cat shook out his fur before beginning to dig into the trash-can he’d managed to knock over after many tries, his paws pushing about the food wrappers and plastics, finally coming across a half open can of old food, having no clue what it was, but it was something. 

 

Tony dug his teeth into the lid, yanking it back then took as much as he could, his entire muzzle covered in the fish. He kept eating quickly, yet even that wasn’t enough to sustain him. 

 

“Here, kitty, kitty,” a voice cooed. 

 

The stray suddenly jumped, making himself appear bigger. His fur stood entirely on end, tail straightened upwards behind him. He showed off rows of yellowing teeth, his slightly torn ears flattening down against his skull. 

 

A human female. She approached him and he backed up, the cat hissing and snarling from the building panic rushing at him. 

 

Tony snarled, until he realized he was cornered. His claws came out, snarling more, hissing. He swiped at the lady yet she didn’t try to touch him. His ears twitched in confusion when all she did was set down of a small bowl of water right in front of him. 

 

Slowly but surely he moved closer, hesitantly and tentatively, before sniffing at the bowl. He looked up at her, giving a slight confused tilt of the head, mewing softly. Tony suddenly bent his head down, beginning to carefully lap up the water. 

 

He hissed lowly at the sight of the hand reaching out to touch him. 

 

Tony lashed his tail warily, giving a confused noise when the hand pulled away from him again. He sat up, watching this person with a gaze filled with half curiosity, half aggression. This time, though, he remained perfectly still. 

 

“I’m not going to hurt you. It’s okay…” the human’s voice was soft, like a small coo. 

 

Tony swiped at her hand suddenly, snarling softly. He didn’t want contact, not anymore. Tony hissed again before he finally backed up, the cat darting into a corner and refusing to move. 

 

“Oh, you poor thing,” the she’s voice murmured. 

 

The cat stayed there, finally glad when the footsteps of the human faded away. He slowly came back out, before curling up to sleep on the torn, worn out blanket he’d found. His nose twitched at the smell of fish, his tongue sticking out slightly as he prodded the open can with his paw. 

 

Tuna. 

 

His ears perked, his eyes shining suddenly as he dug into his favorite dish, taking up mouthfuls and licking his muzzle until he could savor the fish in his teeth. Tony let loose a little mew, before dipping his paw into the can and sticking it into his mouth, a purr escaping him. 

 

There was no sign of the human, though he didn’t care. 

 

Tony grabbed the can between his teeth before placing it on his makeshift sleeping spot, pawing at it from side to side. He meowed again, lying down, before starting to make a game of knocking the can into the air and letting it fall back to the ground. 

 

“Hey, buddy…” the voice of the human rang out again. 

 

Tony hissed, arching his back and lashing his tail as he stared at the human she. He backed up, keening noises of anger escaping his throat. 

 

“I’m not here to hurt you. Look.” 

 

The she held what looked like treats in her hand and Tony hesitantly stepped forward, sniffing at her palm before snarling again. 

 

His snarls were softer this time, less scared, his fur falling flat again. 

 

“That’s it.” She told him in gentle tones, her other hand moving to land on his back. 

 

Tony let out a sudden wail, the cat hissing. He bared his teeth, frantic noises leaving him while he shied away from the female for a moment. 

 

“Oh, no, honey. It’s okay, it’ll all be okay,” the human murmured, not trying to touch him again. “Come on now. I can help you, I promise.” 

 

His ears were still held down against his skull, before he finally meowed pitifully and he turned on his side, showing the scars on his flank. Tony let loose another strange noise, before pressing his front paws against the human’s chest. He whined, the cat allowing himself to be carried. 

 

Despite this, he hissed and squirmed, the cat not liking the fact he was being touched. He was brought into an apartment, meowing loudly and albeit making a huge ruckus. Tony flattened his ears down when he was set on the ground, suddenly snarling and darting beneath the couch, his tail tucked between his legs. 

 

He refused to come back out for most of the day, only slipping away from the couch because he wanted to eat. He could catch the scent of another cat, though he had no idea where they were nor did he particularly care. 

 

“I know you don’t trust me,” the human she spoke to him, bending down to see him beneath the spot Tony was hiding in. “Let me help you, sweetheart. Come on now.” 

 

Tony hissed softly and backed up more, the cat’s tail still planted firmly between his legs. He was so scared, refusing to so much as move. 

 

“... alright. I’ll let you be…” 

 

He slept that night in the apartment, having no idea his life would never be the same. 


End file.
